fellow-creature to destruction. For the 12 years before the crime of forging excise licenses was made a felony, there were 21 prosecutions and 19 convictions; in the 12 succeeding years there were nine prosecutions, and only three convictions. Mr. Harmer, a solicitor at the Old Bailey, who had, in the course of twenty years, practised in 2000 prosecutions for capital offences, and whose evidence was entitled to the greatest weight, had known many instances in which Juries had given verdicts of acquittal where the proofs were clear; and thieves, especially old ones, aware of the humanity of. Juries, would rather be capitally prosecuted than otherwise. This gentleman gave it as his opinion, that instead of punishing thieves with death, they should be punished by the opposites to their indulgences.

Idle

ness was one characteristic of thieves, punish them with labour; they were fond of company, apply to them solitary confinement; they were accustomed to uncontrouled licence, oppose to it restraint. The opinions of the great bulk of bankers and merchants considered the punishment for forgery too great for the offence, and prevented the prosecution of such criminals in a great many instances. The Committee proposed two Bills, as he had already said; one to abrogate from 30 to 35 useless capital statutes; and the other to consolidate the criminal laws with respect to forgeries, and to alter the punishment. The Committee proposed that, as long as the small notes of the Bank of England continued in circulation, the actual forgery of Bank notes should continue a capital offence; but as the actual forgers could seldom be come at, they proposed extraordinary rewards for discovering them. The cases of uttering and having forged notes in possession to be punishable, the last as it now was, except a discretion in the judge to imprison, with hard labour; and the first to transportation for the first offence. The Report was ordered to be printed.

Sir Francis Burdett moved an address to the Prince Regent, praying remuneration to Mr. Mallisou, the inventor of a Life Preserving Jacket.-Sir Isaac Coffin, and Sir George Cockburn, said, that were ships to be stored with cork jackets, in the event of the alarm from fire or a leak, the sailors, instead of affording assistance, would forcibly possess themselves of jackets, leap overboard, and most probably be drowned. Whereas, without those means of leaving the ship, they would remain, perform their duty, and save both the vessel and their own lives.

Lord E. Fitzgerald's Attainder Reversal Bill was received from the Lords, and, on the motion of Lord Castlereagh, was read the first and second time.

Sir W. Fitzgerald expressed, for himself and family, their deep sense of this distinguished mark of Royal benevolence.

Sir F. Burdett said, this act of magnanimous justice on the part of the Prince Regent, would be justly applauded and appreciated by the whole country.

An

The House having gone into a Com. mittee on the Charitable Foundations Bill, Mr. Brougham said, that in a part of Eng. land, consisting of nine counties, and where the population amounted to a mil lion and a half, the number of endowed schools was 780, the number of children educated in them was 26,000, and their revenues amounted to 26,0007. In the same districts the number of unendowed schools was 3100, and the number of children 92,000. The number of Sundays schools, was 850, and the number of children educated in them was 70,000. The number of schools for the whole of England was 4800, and the number of children educated at the endowed and the unendowed schools, comprehending day-schools, was about 700,000. The number of day-schools was 3500, and the number of children educated there was 50,000, leaving 650,000 for the number educated at the endowed and the unendowed schools throughout England. infant asylum had been established by some gentlemen not far from that House, at which 170 were at present educated, A calculation had been made in France, that if there were schools for one tenth of the population, that would be sufficient for the education of the country. But in this country the proportion required was from one-eighth to one-ninth of the population, as the existing proportion, which was that of France, was found to be too small. A society had lately planted 850 schools in France, and reduced the deficiency from one-half to a third. In Holland the deficiency was much less. The deficiency of schools was different in different counties of England. In the county of Cumberland there were means for educating 12,000 children; and in Bedfordshire only for 3000; and it was deserving of notice, that the parish rates were in the inverse proportion to the means of education. In France no distinction was made betwixt the children of Catholics and Protestants; and on that point a truly noble example had been set by the King; and the conduct of the Prince Regent was entitled to similar praise, from his equal patronage of the schools of the National Society, and of the British and Foreign Society. The schools belonging to both amounted to 1200. Next Session he should bring forward a measure on the subject.

Lord Castlereagh and Mr. V. Fitzgerald having made some observations with re

gard

gard to the great progress recently made in the establishment of schools in Ireland, the House was resumed, the Report received, and the Bill passed.

HOUSE OF LORDS, July 7.

The Royal Assent was given, by commission, to several public and private Bills. Lord Auckland moved for the rejection of the Insolvent Debtors' Act Amendment Bill, on the ground that, as there was no chance of the alterations made in it by their Lordships being acceded to by the Commons, it was useless to proceed further with it. The motion was agreed to.

On the motion of Lord Caernarvon, it was ordered that an address be presented to the Prince Regent, that his Royal Highness may be pleased to direct the Attorney General to institute such proceedings as he may think adviseable against Robert Knill, Robert Edmunds, and Edward Harris, on account of the contradictory evidence given by them before the Committee of the House of Commons, and at the bar of this House.

A message from the House of Commons brought up a Bill for continuing the present Insolvent Act till the commencement of the next Session of Parliament.

In the Commons, the same day, Mr. Vansittart referred to the practice of laying before Parliament an abstract of the produce of the revenue at the expiration of each quarter; he should move, therefore, that an account of the net produce of the revenue of Great Britain for the last three years should be presented. He might take this opportunity of stating, that it was exceedingly gratifying to him to observe the progress that had been made in the revenue during the last three years. In the quarter ending 5th July, 1817, the total amount of the revenue of Great Britain, exclusive of arrears of war taxes, was 11,060,000l.; in that ending 5th July, 1818, it had increased to 12,181,000%; and in that just concluded, viz. on the 5th July 1819, it was 12,604,000l. being an augmentation of more than 400,000l. beyond the corresponding quarter of 1818, and of more than 1,600,000l. above the corresponding quarter of 1817. The view of the revenue of the whole year was equally gratifying. On the 5th July, 1817, the total amount was 43,760,000%.; on the 5th July, 1818, it was 46,800,000.; and on the 5th July, 1819, just expired, it had risen to 49.071,000l. being an increase of 2,200,000l. since 1818, and of more than 5,200.000Z. since 1817. The House would not fail to recollect that within this period no new taxes had been imposed. (Hear, hear.) He accordingly moved for an abstract of the revenue for the years

1817, 1818, and 1819, up to the 5th July in each year.

Mr. Abercrombie having stated that the Insolvent Debtors' Act Amendment Bill had been rejected by the Lords, moved for leave to bring in a Bill for continuing, during a limited period, the Acts relative to insolvent debtors. After a discussion of some length, the motion was carried, on a division, by 80 to 26, and a Bill brought in accordingly, and forwarded through all its stages.

Sir G. Hill introduced a similar Bill with regard to Ireland, which also was forwarded,

Mr. Wilberforce proposed an Address to the Prince Regent, that negociations be entered into for the further suppression of the Slave Trade. The Hon. Gentleman was

grieved to say, that of the powers of Europe, Portugal alone had withheld its consent to the general declaration of the cruelty and inhumanity of the Slave Trade, Portugal was the power which had rendered itself a solitary and discreditable exception. He hoped, however, that she would open her eyes to the policy and humanity of abolishing a system which all Europe unanimously denounced. He was grieved to say that two nations-France and the United States-were to be found amongst those who had not exerted themselves for the destruction of this abominable trade.

House of Lords, July 8.

The Scotch Churches and Scotch Banishment Bills were ordered to be committed this day month, by which they are lost for the present Session.

July 9.

The second reading of the Bankrupt Acts Amendment Bill and Commissioners of Bankrupts Bill was postponed for three

months.

The Marquis of Lansdown moved an Address to the Prince Regent, which was unanimously agreed to, praying him to take measures, in concert with foreign powers, to put an end to the Slave Trade.

July 12.

The Royal Assent was given, by commision, to a number of public and private Bills.

In the Commons, the same day, in answer to a question from Mr. M. A. Taylor, Lord Castlereagh said, that Ministers had not omitted to make the necessary enquiries with regard to the attack on the Brunswick merchant vessel, by the Bronte Spanish frigate.

The cases of the Penryn and Barnstaple elections not having been brought to a close in the House of Lords, it was ordered that the Speaker should not issue writs for those places until 14 days after the commencement of the next Session.

Mr.

Mr. Vansittart moved an Address to the Prince Regent, for conferring some dignity in the Church on the Rev. C. Wordsworth, Chaplain to the House; also for paying certain sums to the Chairman of the Committees, &c.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer then proposed an Address to the Prince Regent, for a sum, not exceeding 50,000l. to be issued from time to time, under such regulations as might be thought necessary, for the encouragement of persons disposed to settle in his Majesty colony at the Cape of Good Hope. He said, the principal place chosen for the reception of emigrants was on the South-east coast, and possessed a good harbour, with many other local advantages. It certainly was not proposed to carry out persons wholly destitute of the means of providing for themselves. That experiment had been tried, but had been found to be attended with great inconvenience. A small deposit would therefore be required from them before leaving this country, as a security for their providing for themselves when they arrived at the colony. The country was peculiarly favourable to the growing of fruit; and upon the whole, there could be no doubt that persons, as soon as settled, would find themselves comfortable.

Mr. Hume thought that parishes should be obliged to subscribe for sending out able-bodied men, who could not get employment in this country.

Mr. Alderman Wood would not consent to send people out of the country, whilst there was a sufficiency of waste grounds at home to afford them means of subsistence by proper cultivation; in one place, there were 80,000 acres, which, if culti vated, would give employment to many labourers, and yield a considerable revenue to Government.

Mr. C. Hutchinson thought that Government ought to make advances to such emigrants as the poor manufacturers of Cork, which could soon be repaid, if the scite of the proposed colony was so promising as had been stated.

The Address was then agreed to.

Mr. Parnell's financial resolutions, after a long and general discussion, were negatived.

Mr. Hume then moved the order of the day for resuming the adjourned debate on the Store-keeper General's department, but there being only 31 Members present, the House adjourned.

House of Lords. Mr. H. concluded with moving an Address to the Prince Regent, praying for a strict enquiry into every branch of the public service, but particu larly the department alluded to; and also, that the nature of any vacancies in that department should be duly considered before filling them up.

Mr. Vansittart objected to the course this day pursued by the Hon. Gentleman, as most extraordinary and unfair. Taking two periods, it would be found that the amount of ordnance stores, in thirteen years (we believe), under the old establishment of this department, was only 1,800,000l. In the same period, since the new arrangement, it was 3,500,000%.

An Hon. Member was just rising, when the Usher of the Black Rod summoned the Commons to the House of Peers.

HOUSE OF LORDS, July 13.

Their Lordships met about twelve, and before that hour the seats within the House were nearly filled with ladies. Several foreign Ambassadors, and among the number the Persian and the Algerine Ambassadors, were present.

At two the Prince Regent entered in the usual state, and took his seat on the throne, and Sir T. Tyrwhitt, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, was directed to require the attendance of the House of Commons. In a few minutes the Commons appeared at the Bar, and the Speaker delivered the following Address:

"May it please your Royal Highness,

"We, his Majesty's faithful Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled, attend your Royal Highness with our concluding Bill of Supply. The subjects which have occupied our attention have been more numerous, more various, and more important, than are usually submitted to the consideration of Parliament in the same Session.-Upon many of these subjects we have been engaged in long and unwearied examinations; but such has been the pressure of other business, and particularly of that which ordinarily belongs to a first Session of Parliament; aud such the magnitude and intricacy of many of those inquiries, that the limits of the present Session have not allowed of bringing them to a close.-But, Sir, of those measures which we have completed, the most prominent, the most important, and, as we trust, in their consequences, the most beneficial to the publick, are the measures which have grown out of the consideration of the present state of the Coun try, both in its currency and its finances. -Early, Sir, in the present Session, we instituted an inquiry into the effects produced on the exchanges with foreign countries, and the state of the circulating me

dium, by the restriction on payments in cash by the Bank. This inquiry was most anxiously and most deliberately conducted, and in its result led to the conclusion, that it was most desirable, quickly, but with due precautions, to return to our antient and healthful state of currency; that whatever might have been the expediency of the acts for the suspension of payments in cash at the different periods at which they were enacted (and doubtless they were expedient, whilst the country was involved in the most expensive contest that ever weighed down the finances of any country), still that the necessity for the continuance of these acts having ceased, it became us, with as little delay as possible (avoiding carefully the convulsion of too rapid a transition) to return to our antient system; and that if at any period, and under any circumstances, this return could be effected without national inconvenience, it was at the present, when this mighty nation, with a proud retrospect of the past, after having made the greatest efforts, and achieved the noblest objects, was now reposing in confident, and, as we fondly hoped, a well-founded expectation of a sound and lasting peace. -In considering, Sir, the state of our finances, and in minutely comparing our income with our expenditure, it appeared to us, that the excess of our income was not fairly adequate for the purposes to which it was applicable-the gradual reduction of the national debt. It appeared to us that a clear available surplus of at least 5,000,000l. ought to be set apart for that object. This, Sir, has been effected by the additional imposition of 3,000,000. of taxes. Sir, in adopting this course, his Majesty's faithful Commons did not conceal from themselves that they were calling upon the nation for a great exertion: but well-knowing that honour, and character, and independence, have at all times been the first, and dearest objects of the hearts of Englishmen, we felt assured, that there was no difficulty that the country would not encounter, and no pressure to which she would not willingly and cheerfully submit, to enable her to maintain, pure and unimpaired, that which has never yet been shaken or sullied-her public credit, and her national good faith.Thus, Sir, I have endeavoured, shortly, and I am aware how imperfectly, to notice the various duties which have devolv. ed upon us, in one of the longest and most arduous Sessions in the records of Parliament. The Bill, Sir, which it is my duty to present to your Royal Highness, is entitled, An Act for applying certain monies therein mentioned for the service of the year 1819, and for further appropriating the supplies granted in this Session of Parliament.' To which, with all

"It is with great regret that I am again obliged to announce to you the continuance of his Majesty's lamented indisposition. I cannot close this Session of Parliament without expressing the satisfaction that I have derived from the zeal and assiduity with which you have applied yourselves to the several important objects which have come under your consideration. Your patient and laborious investigation of the state of the circulation and currency of the kingdom demands my warmest acknowledgments; and I entertain a confident expectation that the measures adopted, as the result of this inquiry, will be productive of the most beneficial consequences.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

"I thank you for the Supplies which you have granted for the service of the present year. I sincerely regret that the necessity should have existed of making any addition to the burdens of the people; but I anticipate the most important permanent advantages from the effort which you have thus made for meeting at once all the financial difficulties of the Country; and I derive much satisfaction from the belief, that the means which you have devised for this purpose are calculated to press as lightly on all classes of the community as could be expected when so great an effort was to be made.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

continue to receive from foreign powers the strongest assurances of their friendly disposition towards this Country.

"I have observed with great concern the attempts which have been made in some of the manufacturing districts, to take advantage of circumstances of local distress, to excite a spirit of disaffection to the institutions and government of the Country. No object can be nearer my heart than to promote the welfare and prosperity of all classes of his Majesty's subjects; but this cannot be affected without the maintenance of public order and tranquillity. You may rely, therefore, upon my firm determination to employ for this purpose the powers intrusted to me by law; and I have no doubt that, on your return to your several counties, you will use your utmost endeavours, in co-operation with the magistracy, to defeat the machinations of those whose project, if successful, could only aggravate the evils which it professed to remedy; and who, under the

pretence

pretence of reform, have really no other object but the subversion of our happy Constitution."

Then the Lord Chancellor, by the Prince Regent's command, said,

"My Lords, and Gentlemen, "It is the will and pleasure of his Royal

Highness the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, that this Parliament be prorogued to Tuesday, the 24th day of August next, to be then here holden; and this Parlia ment is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday, the 24th day of August next."

War-Office, Aug. 12.

Brevet Promotions. dated this day.

Commissions to be

To be Generals in the Army-Lieutenant Generals the Honourable R. Taylor, G. Milner, George Marquis of Huntly, Hon. E. Finch, I. Gascoyne, D. D. Wemyss, Hon. J. Cuming, H. Wynyard, D. Campbell, T. Grosvenor, J. Calcraft, John Earl of Hopetoun, G. C. B. James Lord Forbes, Henry Marquis of Anglesey, K.G. and G. C. B. Sir J. Doyle, bart. and G. C. B. Sir R. Brownrigg, bart. and G. C. B. W. Knollis, Hon. E. Phipps, W. Cartwright, Sir B. Leighton, bart. J. Coffin J. Murray, and Sir C. Green, bart.

To be Lieutenant Generals in the Army -Major Generals J. Croker, L. B. Wallis, J. Hope, G. Meyricke, Sir A. Cameron, K. C. B. Andrew Lord Blayney, Hon. S. Mahon, J. S. Wood, D. O'Meara, Francis Baron Rottenburg, Hon. Sir C. Colville, G. C. B. F. C. White, G. Brown, L. Lindelthal, R. Coghlan, Sir H. Fane, K. C. B. Sir R. Bolton, R. Cheney, Sir G. Anson, K. C. B. Kenneth Alexander Lord Howard of Effingham, K. C. B. Sir H. Hinuber, K. C. B. Thomas Lord Hartland, Sir J. S. Maxwell, bart. W. T. Dilkes, Sir J. Oswald, K. C. B. W. Doyle, J. Hatton, P. Bonham, Sir W. Anson, K. C. B. G. W. Ramsay, and J. Dorrien.

To be Major Generals in the Army, from Col. Sir J. Elley to Col. Sir A. F. Barnard, inclusive.

To be Colonels in the Army, from Lieut. Col. H. Loftus to Lieut. Col. A. Mackenzie, inclusive.

To be Lieutenant Colonels in the Army, from Major E. Shearman to Major J. W. O'Donnaghue, inclusive.

To be Majors in the Army, from Capt. D. Macpherson to Capt. L. O'Hara, inclusive.

Admiralty-Office, Aug. 12.

His Royal Highness the Prince Regent has been pleased, in the name and on the behalf of the King, to appoint W. R. Broughton, esq. C. B. Sir E. Berry, bart. K.C.B. W. Prowse, esq. C.B. and T. Baker, esq. C.B. to be Colonels in his Majesty's Royal Marine Forces, in the room of W. T. Lake, esq. C.B. W. C. Fahie, esq. C. B. Sir G. Eyre, K.C.B. and Sir J. Talbot, K.C.B. appointed Flag Officers of hi Majesty's Fleet.

The following promotions have been made:

The first five Officers on the list of Admirals of the White, ending with Admiral Wilson, to be Admirals of the Red.

The 10 Officers on the list of Admirals of the Blue, ending with Admiral Sir J. Saumarez, to be Admirals of the White.

The 13 Officers at the head of the list of Vice-Admirals of the Red, ending with Sir E. Nagle, to be Admirals of the Blue.

Vice Admirals of the White, from F. Pender, esq. to Sir T. Foley, inclusive, to be Vice Admirals of the Red.

The whole of the Officers on the list of Vice Admirals of the Blue, to be Vice Admirals of the White.

The whole of the Officers on the list of Rear Admirals of the Red, to be Vice Admirals of the Blue.

The whole of the Rear Admirals of the White to be Rear Admirals of the Red.

The whole of the Rear Admirals of the Blue to be Rear Admirals of the White. Captain W. T. Lake, C.B. to be Rear Admiral of the White.

Captains Sir C. Ogle, H. Raper, W. C. Fahie, Sir G. Eyre, R. Lambert, J. Bingham, R. D. Oliver, T. Boys, Sir C. Brisbane, Sir J. Talbot, J. Halliday, J. Giffard, J. West, S. Poyntz, Lord Colville, J. Cochet, Sir A. C. Dickson, R. Winthrop, H. Digby, C. Ekins, J. S. Rainer, B. W. Page, P. Wodehouse, and T. Alexander, to be Rear Admirals of the Blue.

The under-mentioned Officers to be Knights Companions of the Order of the Bath Vice Admiral M. Dixon, Rear Admiral the Hon. Sir H. Blackwood, bart. and Rear Admiral Sir J. P. Beresford, bart.

His Royal Highness has also been pleased to nominate Capt. P. Puget, of the Royal Navy, to be a Companion of the said Order of the Bath, the name of this officer having, by mistake, been formerly omitted.

The following Commanders and Lieutenants have been appointed Post Captains and Commanders respectively:Captains J. Tomkinson, J. Hay, Sir C. T. Jones, C. B. Strong, J. Baldwin, R. Riddell, G. A. Westphall, P. W. P. Wallis, Hon. F. Noel, T. Scriven, C. B. Hugh Patten, A. Debbs, C. B.-Lieuts. J. Griffiths, T. H. Hambly, R. C. Barton, J, Maples, M. H. Herbert, E. W. C. Astley, C. Jackson, C. B. Louis, R. B. T. Sutton, H. Boteler, G. Cheyne, and J. Murray.

War